Notebooks and pencils? Check.
Backpack? Gym shoes? Check and check.
Online résumé? You might want to get to work on that, even if you're still in high school.
Digital networking giant LinkedIn is lowering its age of admission, inviting students 14 and older to join its online ranks Sept. 12 and urging young scholars to connect with colleges that interest them.
New "University Pages" offer glimpses into the career paths of alumni, compiling data gleaned from LinkedIn profiles about where they live and what they do. More than 200 colleges and universities have already launched pages, including the University of Minnesota, Hamline University and Macalester College.
"If harnessed, these insights could provide incredible value for students — helping them explore possible futures and build a support network to help them succeed on campus and beyond," said Christina Allen of LinkedIn in a blog post announcing University Pages.
It's also a way for LinkedIn, a decade-old social network geared toward professionals, to hook the next generation. The battle for those younger users is fierce, with aging networks trying to prove they're still hip. (LinkedIn was launched in May 2003, nine months before Facebook.)
More than a job resource
So far, LinkedIn has been a more civil haven for those seeking to build a professional presence online amid the sea of silly selfies, Facebook rants and snarky tweets. Recruiters and hiring managers use it to connect with potential applicants, even saying that the absence of a LinkedIn profile can be a red flag in some fields.